Prof Devendra Kaushik

President Vladimir Putin has honoured an Indian scholar with the 'Order of Friendship', the highest honour for foreigners in Russia, for his contribution in developing friendship and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Prof Devendra Kaushik has been decorated with the Russian order "for his personal contribution in developing Indo-Russian friendship and cultural cooperation," a Kremlin release said here.

Kaushik is a noted expert on Indo-Soviet and Indo-Russian affairs and is chairman of the Maulana Azad Institute of Asian studies.